


null / positive

by bicroft



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M, Magical Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 07:22:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16403876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bicroft/pseuds/bicroft
Summary: Zhenya has magic running through his veins- he always has.Sid doesn't, until he does.





	null / positive

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sadhockeytrashbaby (aggressivelybicaptainamerica)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aggressivelybicaptainamerica/gifts).



Zhenya _hated_ full moons away from home.

 

They made him homesick- or, more homesick than he already was, anyway- and itchy, a longing to go back home and spend the evening wrapped up in the warm embrace of his family’s magic, to tip his head back and sing at the yellow Russian moon, and hear the echoes of those who came before him singing back. It was _amazing_ ; he’d call it magical, but, that would be more than a little redundant.

 

The Superleague, however, had never been a good place for the kin of Baba Yaga.

 

That wasn’t the reason Zhenya left, of course- not the only reason. There were piles on piles of reasons, but, the chilling feeling of iron-lined gloves and referees watching him more closely than his magicless teammates definitely stuck out in his mind, among the list of all the other scare tactics Metallurg had tried to keep him in the Motherland.

 

The NHL didn’t have limitations on small magic, didn’t have wary-eyed refs, or iron-lined anything. What the NHL _did_ have was the best players of all time, magical or and not, and the Penguins- _god_ , from the day he was drafted, Zhenya wanted nothing more than to be on his Penguins.

 

So, he fought, planned and he kissed the pendant his mother had given him moons and moons ago, whispering a little luck spell like a mantra as strode off of the plane with the rest of his teammates and sat, for hours, in a bathroom stall in the Finnish airport, hoping against all hopes that this would get him to where he so desperately wanted, _needed_ to be.

 

And then he was there in a whirlwind of calls and one excruciating plane ride where he could _feel_ himself stretching the string of magic binding him to his family and all he could think of was his Mama at home, feeling it too. He picked right back up with the charms, there, kissing his pendant and repeating every protection spell he’d ever learned.

 

There was a dinner when he first got there, shaking so many hands and hearing so much chattering English that it made his head hurt. There was Seryozha- Gonch, everyone called him here, who Zhenya knew from home. That was nice, it was a familiar face, but there wasn’t a trace of Baba Yaga’s blood in Seryozha or his family, so even that little taste of home just made him ache for more.

 

There was Mario, and his wife and gaggle of children, and Zhenya was _awed_ both to see the man in the flesh, and feel the magic pulsing through his house. North American magic was wilder than Russian magic was, especially in the younger children; Zhenya could feel it coating the house itself and almost every person and surface inside.

 

 _Almost_ , because then there was Sidney Crosby.

 

He knew it was rude to stare, and he knew that he’d been staring _far_ too long, but he couldn’t make himself tear his eyes away from Crosby after he shook his hand. Nothing- he felt _nothing_ on Crosby, not even the baseline magic warmth he usually felt from people whose magical ancestry was too far down the line to have too much of an impact on their lives or abilities. It felt _weird_ , and _wrong,_ and-

 

“It’s, uh- good to meet you.” Zhenya snapped out of his trance when Crosby spoke, a tentative smile pushing across his features and making Zhenya feel guilty for being kind of a jackass right off the bat, even if he hadn’t _said_ any of what he was thinking.

 

“Good to meet you, too,” he said, and he flashed a smile of his own, which only seemed to make Crosby’s get more lopsided- which, Zhenya decided to take as a sign that he was forgiven.

Still- all through dinner, Zhenya kept finding his gaze roaming back to Crosby, trying to get a read on him. There had to be _something-_ there was always, always something on someone, residual magic from ages past, from people they’ve brushed up against, and he lived in a house where Zhenya could feel magic on every single surface of. But, every time he reached out, there’d be nothing there. It was like Crosby was a single dead zone in a house full of life. It was _unsettling._

It was- _magnetic_.

 

He would’ve been lying if he said he hadn’t been- _interested_ in Crosby before. Even before they’d played in World Juniors, he’d been asking his agent for tape, video, anything he could give Zhenya about him and then, after they’d given up the gold to Canada, his interest had only doubled. He was a talented player; Zhenya couldn’t be blamed for scoping out the competition.

 

But they _weren’t_ competition- they were teammates, and Zhenya was sitting at the dinner table _staring_ at him.

 

He didn’t manage to draw his gaze away for most of the night, only just barely ducking his head as he stood in the doorway and Crosby finally returned his gaze to say goodbye. “I- it’s gonna be nice playing with you,” he said, holding out a hand.

 

“Yes.” Zhenya stared at the hand for a moment, just blinking before he reached out his own, and took it.

 

And, there was- a _spark_ , a spark of something warm, and _magical_. Zhenya’s eyes widened, and Crosby drew his hand back as if he’d been burned.

 

“What-” Zhenya started to ask, but Crosby just nodded, turned heel, and escaped back up the stairs before Zhenya could say anything about it.

 

 

 

Hedidn’t get much alone time with Crosby, after that. He didn’t get much alone time in general, in the house with Seryozha and his family, but in the locker room, hanging out after games, there was _always_ an entourage around him. It seemed, what he lacked in magical power, he made up for in endearing personality, drawing in a dedicated posse of the team’s younger players.

 

Zhenya found himself drawn into it pretty quickly after a couple of months, which got him to where he was now- sitting in a shadowed booth in a loud club on the eve of a full moon, missing home but riding high on post-win adrenaline. Everyone else had vacated the booth for some reason or another- either for the bar, or for the dance floor, and it was just him and Crosby, sitting across from each other.

 

“Do I have something on my face?” Zhenya hadn’t even realized he’d been staring again until Crosby spoke up- he did that a lot; had his eyes drawn to Crosby without him meaning to. He hadn’t been able to push Crosby- Sid’s, _Sid,_ everyone called him Sid- magical null, and that _spark_ when he’d touched his hand.

 

“No.” He shook his head, glad for the darkness of the club so that Sid couldn’t see his cheek heat up. “No, not- not on your face.”

 

Sid frowned, brow furrowing. “Is this- about World’s?” he asked. “I mean- _seriously_ , Geno, I’m not- I _see_ you looking at me, and I don’t… want to have a problem, or anything. You’re a good guy, and I like you, and-”

“You’re not feel like magic,” Zhenya blurted.

 

Sid didn’t say anything, at first, and Zhenya opened his mouth to explain, apologize, when he cut him off. “I- yeah. I don’t.”

 

“ _Everyone’s_ feel like magic, at least a little bit,” Zhenya said. “Everyone have something, even if they’re can’t use. But, you… you’re not, not even some.”

 

“I _know_.” Sid said, and he sounded frustrated. “It’s- complicated, man, I don’t know how to… explain it. I just never had it.”

 

Zhenya frowned. “Family like this?”

 

“No.” Sid shook his head, heaving the word like a sigh. “No, they… Taylor’s pretty good at… little spells- the everyday cleaning stuff, y’know? And my parents are both about the same. It’s just me.”

 

“ _Why_?” Zhenya had never heard of that before; a family with magic in the veins just _stopping_ down the line. Even if he wasn’t as powerful as his mother, his grandmother, his great-great grandmother, his power was still _there_.

 

“I don’t _know_.” Sid sounded frustrated, the same tenor in his voice that Zhenya had heard after bad games, practices that hadn’t gone his way. “I just don’t know, okay.”

 

“Sorry, Sid.” Zhenya wasn’t sure why he reached out to put a hand over Sid’s- to comfort him, obviously, but there was something else to it, too, something he couldn’t put a name to. As soon as their hands made contact, he felt it again; the same spark that had been there after dinner, warm and obviously magic- _intensely_ magical, a bond like Zhenya had only ever gotten _close_ to feeling on those full moons, surrounded by his family.

 

And, just like it had been in the Lemieux’s foyer, the warmth was gone in a second as Sid drew his hand back- except, this time, he couldn’t run away, so he and Zhenya just sat there for a long moment, staring in silence. “That… doesn’t happen,” Sid finally said.

 

“Just happen,” Zhenya countered, though he sounded more dazed that accusatory.

 

“It’s never happened before,” Sid tried, but Zhenya countered that with: “Happen at dinner.”

 

“It’s never happened _with anyone else_ ,” Sid said, and that just sparked another long silence, neither one of them seeming to want to be the first to break eye contact.

 

“You- no one?” Zhenya asked, finally.

 

“No one,” Sid echoed. “I didn’t- even know that I could… _feel_ something like that, before. I don’t know what you did, but-”

 

“What _I’m_ do?” Zhenya huffed. “No, _I’m_ not- _you’re_ do.”

 

“I _can’t_ ,” Sid shot back, obviously frustrated. “Geno, I _don’t have magic_ \- nothing. None of it, I’ve been- tested, and talked to, and I’ve done _everything,_ tried _everything_. I’m completely null.”

 

“Test wrong, then,” Zhenya said, and the expression on Sid’s face was somewhere between frustrated and hopeless.

 

“They’re _not_ ,” he said. “This is… something else, maybe- not me, and not you, just… something.”

 

“No me, not you- no one else _here_ , Sid.” It was Zhenya’s turn to be frustrated now. “No one else it _can_ be.”

 

Sid just shook his head. “I’ll… I’ll talk to Mario,” he said.

 

Zhenya opened his mouth to say something else but was immediately shut down by the return of Flower and Army, both laughing and obviously at least a little tipsy, if not entirely sloshed. “You haven’t fuckin’ moved _all night_ ,” Army said, grabbing Sid by the arm. “You’re dancing for _one song_ , at least.”

 

“I don’t-” Sid didn’t even get a sentence out before Army was pulling him away, leading Sid to the sea of dancing bodies as he looked back at Zhenya with a look in his eye that clearly said ‘help me’. Zhenya just stared, helpless himself.

 

“Having fun?”

 

He was pulled out his stupor, this time, by Flower, who was looking at Zhenya with something in his eye that he couldn’t read. Zhenya shrugged. “Good night. Score goal, nice win.”

 

“Yeah,” Flower said. He made no move to slide into the booth, just standing to the side. “You and Sid talk?”

 

Again, Zhenya just shrugged. “Little bit- talk about… magic.”

 

“That’s it?” There was tension in Flower’s shoulders, and his expression was still unreadable, which just frustrated _Zhenya_. What the hell did he _want_ from him?

 

“Yes,” he said, pushing up from the booth himself. “Just magic. Talk about how he’s not have.I’m not know.”

 

“It’s- kinda a sore spot,” Flower said.

 

Zhenya hummed. “Seems okay, when talk to me.” A little bit of a lie, but, Flower didn’t have to know.

 

Flower hummed right back, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Yeah. That’s Sid.”

 

Zhenya couldn’t even _begin_ to dissect what _that_ could possibly mean, so he just nodded, and grabbed his coat from the booth. “I’m get ride home; tell Sid I’m say see him tomorrow.”

 

He didn’t know what it was about _that_ statement, but it was what finally made the tension drain from Flower’s shoulders, and his normal, easy smile spread across his face. “Yeah, man, I’ll tell him. See you tomorrow.”

 

 

Zhenya _did_ technically see Sid the next day- but, seeing was all he got to do; just like before, Sid went back to never being alone with him. Except, this time, Zhenya knew it was intentional, and he wasn’t having it.

It took him a few days of waiting, but eventually, Zhenya got sick of it. He pushed his way over to Sid’s stall after practice, where Army and Flower were of course hanging on, like the always did, ragging Sid about one thing or another; it didn’t matter to Zhenya what it was. He cleared his throat, and all eyes turned to him, conversation stopping in a second.

 

“You’re want to come over, later?”

 

Zhenya spoke the words looking directly at Sid, and both Army and Flower seemed to know without him having to say that it wasn’t meant to extend to them. He felt like an asshole about it, a little, but he figured he could make it up to them later. After he figured out what the _hell_ was going on with Sid, and his magic- or lack therefore of, or _whatever_ it was that was going on.

 

“I, uh-” Sid just _stared_ at him, open mouthed. “I… I dunno, G, I’ve got a lot of-”

 

“He’d love to.” Flower cut in before Sid could say anything else, seeming to surprise Zhenya and Sid both. “You were just talking about how you wanted to hang out with him more, Sid.”

 

“ _Definitely_ , yeah,” Army chipped in, sharing a look with Flower.

 

Sid looked _betrayed_ , but Zhenya wasn’t going to spend too much time thinking about it. “Can come over tonight,” he said. “Seryozha and Ksenia taking girls out for night, having fun, and I’m stay in. We’re can- order food, watch movie.” _Talk about why I feel the most alive I’ve ever felt when you touch me._

“Yeah, sure,” Sid said, and even if he sounded more defeated than like he was looking forward to it, Zhenya considered it a job well done.

 

“Seven okay?”

 

Sid flicked his gaze to Flower and Army, seeming to see if either one of them would save him. All Army did was shrug- and, Flower actually _glared_ at him. Zhenya didn’t know what to make of that. Finally, he said, “Yeah. Yeah, G, I’ll see you at seven.”

 

 

Zhenya thought that, after all the, maybe Sid wouldn’t show- but, he was nothing if not punctual. At seven, almost on the dot, Sid was on the Gonchar’s doorstep, and Zhenya immediately ushered him in. “Pizza,” he said. “I’m already pick out movie.”

 

“Oh.” Sid seemed surprised that Zhenya had actually set up the movie like he’d promised. He had probably been expecting an ambush- and, really, he wasn’t _wrong_ to think it. Zhenya just had a little bit more tact than that.

 

 _Only_ a little, though; he made it halfway through the movie before he couldn’t stop himself, and reached out, putting a hand over Sid’s where it was resting on the couch.

 

Sid _immediately_ tensed up- but, he didn’t pull away, and Zhenya was treated to the same warm, open, _amazing_ flow of magic he’d glimpsed the two times they’d brushed hands before. He could feel Sid slowly relaxing as the magic flowed between them, and Zhenya himself felt like he was riding high on the best win of his life.

 

“Is this… how it always feels, for you?” Sid asked, finally breaking the silence. He still didn’t pull away, and when Zhenya turned to look at him, he looked dazed- _awed_.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “No, is… is just with you?”

 

“Why?” A bit of the awe faded from Sid’s face now, his brow furrowed. “I mean- what’s so special about me?”

 

“You’re Sidney Crosby,” Zhenya said, almost without thinking. “What’s _not_ special?”

 

“ _Everything_ ,” Sid said, a bit of color in his cheeks. “I mean- I’m… hockey’s pretty much all I’ve got, Geno. I don’t have magic, and I don’t really have anything else.”

 

“ _Do_ have magic, though,” Zhenya pointed out. “Right now, you’re feel.”

 

“I’ve never had magic _before_ ,” Sid said. “And never… never without you. As soon as you’re gone, it’s like it never even happened in the first place.”

 

Zhenya just hummed at that, and they were both silent for a long moment. “You’re… talk to anyone about this?” he asked.

 

Sid shook his head. “No, I… I don’t know _how_ , or who- Mario? My parents? I don’t know if they’d have any more answers than we do. This stuff just- it doesn’t _happen_ , Geno. You’re either born with magic, or you’re not. I know.”

 

“I’m ask my family, maybe,” Zhenya said- though, _god_ , who knew how long it’d be before he’d be able to call his mother again? The knot that was perpetually settled in his stomach now tightened at that reminder. “We- old magic, original.”

 

“ _Really_?” Sid’s eyes had gone wide. “That’s- wow.”

 

“I’m see if maybe there’s anything mama knows, or… grandma, maybe. Something.” Zhenya said. “But- that’s take a while. Long time.”

 

“We’ll figure it out.” Sid said. “Somehow.”

 

Zhenya sighed and nodded- and, he started to drag his hand away, too, but Sid stopped him. “You-” he started, sounding sheepish. His cheeks were dark red as he cleared his throat and tried again. “I… like how it feels. If you don’t mind.”

 

Zhenya smiled, and a completely new feeling fluttered in his chest. _Huh_. “Not mind. Is… feels nice. Good.”

 

“Good.” Sid smiled, and they both settled back in to watch the movie from there- and then, another once that one was over, and another- and, eventually, much later, the Gonchars came back, and he and Sid were still sitting on the couch and watching action movies neither of them seemed to really care about, hand in hand. Seryozha gave them an odd look as he passed, but said nothing- and, normally, Zhenya would’ve been sheepish, would’ve jumped to say ‘it isn’t what it looks like’, but with the warm surge of magic pulsing between he and Sid mellowing him, he couldn’t bring himself to _really_ care.

 

 

They fell into a sort of routine, after that. They’d go to practice, go about their days- and then, in the evening, they’d end up either at the Lemieux’s or the Gonchar’s in their respective rooms, watching movies and just- holding hands, feeling the surge of magic between them.

It probably should’ve been weird- no, it _definitely_ should’ve been weird, with or without the bond. Just sitting there, holding hands with a guy he barely knew, and, a teammate, at that. But, it wasn’t. The opposite, in fact; sitting there with Sid felt _natural_ , like there was nothing else in the world that Zhenya should be doing- and, somewhere in the back of his mind, Zhenya knew it didn’t entirely have to do with the bond.

 

They were midway through their second movie of that particular night when Sid broke the usual silence. “How do you- y’know. Use this?”

 

It took Zhenya a few seconds to blink himself out of the haze and realize what Sid was talking about. “Magic? It’s… don’t know. Just… know spell, think spell, then- happens, usually.”

 

“Could you… show me, maybe?” There was an edge of hope in Sid’s voice that made Zhenya’s stomach do a flip.

 

“Sure.” Zhenya tried to pull his hand away from Sid’s, already envisioning the spell he wanted- but, when he tugged, Sid’s grip stayed firm.

 

“I wanna see if I can feel it,” Sid said, sounding sheepish now.

 

Zhenya just nodded, and closed his eyes, refocusing. It felt a little weird, feeling Sid reach out with him as he reached out with his power- but, the way Sid’s breath hitched when he did it made it well worth it. He focused in, reached out, and muttered a few words- and, a pen from Sid’s desk flew into his hands a second later.

 

“ _Wow_.” Zhenya had never heard someone so awed by just a small act of magic. When he turned his head, Sid was looking at their joined hands and then back up at Zhenya with a look in his eye like he’d just parted the Red Sea instead of just summoned a small object. “I- is that how it always feels?”

 

“Is… little bit different, with you- also feel,” Zhenya said. “But, most of time, yes. Just like that.”

 

Sid looked even more starry eyed at the admission. “That’s _amazing_.”

 

“Guess so.” Zhenya had never really thought of most magic as amazing; he’d been able to do things like this for as long as he’d been able to hold himself upright.

 

Sid’s gaze dropped after that. Zhenya felt a little bad about maybe killing his glee- there didn’t seem to be a lot that got Sid excited outside of hockey, and Zhenya liked to take whatever opportunities he could to make Sid smile. There was at least a little comradery that came with this… _whatever_ it was they had, this bond, the time they spent together because of it. Sid felt like a friend, now, instead of just someone he shared a locker room with.

 

“Do you… think you could show me?”

 

Zhenya was surprised when Sid spoke up again. “I- think, maybe?” he said.

 

“I know I probably can’t do it,” Sid said quickly, still staring down at his lap instead of looking at Zhenya. “But- I don’t know. This- whatever this is, the fact that I can _feel_ magic, for the first time, it makes me think that… I should at least give it a try, yeah?”

 

“I’m show you, Sid,” Zhenya said, sure to make his voice soft, encouraging, and offering Sid a smile when he finally looked up. “Just- hard to explain, yes. I’m do for so long, is… would be like if you’re try to explain to someone ‘this how you walk, this how you breathe.’ Never have to think through step one, step two.”

 

“I understand.” Sid squeezed Zhenya’s hand. “Just… best you can, yeah? I just wanna give it a shot.”

 

“Okay.” Zhenya took a deep breath, and tried to think back to- some time, _any_ time in his life when someone was explaining how his magic worked. “Is… have to focus. Think of command, and- is important you’re know what you want, ask for it.”

 

Sid wrinkled his nose. “Ask for it?”

 

“Magic isn’t just _you_ ,” Zhenya said. “Is alive, is- is its own. Magic part of… blood, part of life, but also is its own thing. Can’t just say ‘pen’, ‘fire’, ‘wind’ and it’s happen like that. Have to ask it, be specific.”

 

Sid’s face scrunched up even more, but he nodded. “I… think I get it. Focus, and ask.”

 

“Let’s try, yes?” Zhenya scanned the room and pointed at random to an object. “Book, on shelf over there- ask for book.”

 

“Okay.” Sid took a deep breath, and screwed his eyes shut so tight Zhenya was sure he was seeing stars. “Can I please have the book?”

 

Zhenya had to _really_ hold back so he didn’t laugh. “Not ask _me_ , Sid- not out loud. Think, to yourself.”

 

“ _Oh_.” There was a flush on Sid’s cheeks now- a pretty, pretty pink, but Zhenya shouldn’t be thinking that- but, he kept his eyes shut, and took another breath.

 

 _I want the book, please_.

 

Sid’s mouth didn’t move- but, Zhenya still heard the request. Or, it was more like he _felt_ it, deep in his bones, the same way he felt it when his own power moved. In the same moment, Zhenya watched as the book he’d pointed at shuddered, and then floated across the room, and into Sid’s lap, and a wide grin spread across his face. “You’re do it!”

 

Sid’s eyes snapped open, and he just stared at the book in his lap for a long, silent moment before he burst into- _giggles_ were the only way Zhenya could describe it, squeezing Zhenya’s hand. “I _did_ it. Holy shit, Geno, holy shit- I did _magic._ ”

 

“So fucking _amazing_ , Sid.” Zhenya had never been this _excited_ about a small act of magic before, either, but Sid’s excitement seemed to be rubbing off on him- or, maybe, radiating into him through their joined hands.

 

Speaking of- Sid finally pulled away, but, it was just to throw his arms around Zhenya’s neck, face still lit up like Zhenya had just scored the prettiest goal he’d ever seen. “Thank you,” he said, voice muffled in Zheyna’s shoulder. “You- I can’t tell you what this means to me, G, seriously.”

 

“I’m understand,” Zhenya said, because he did, for the most part. Magic had always been a part of his life, a thing that drew him closer to his family, his friends, the whole world. He couldn’t _imagine_ what it would be like to be surrounded by that but still be locked out of the connection.

Sid pulled away, and Zhenya expected the connection to fizzle like it usually did- but, it didn’t. He could still feel the warmth pushing through his veins- and, even though he didn’t speak up about it, he could tell that Sid felt it to as they both settled back, and they turned on the movie.

 

It wasn’t until the film was over, and Zhenya was packing up to go that he spoke up again. “Maybe we’re can- have lessons. I’m teach you magic, see if you’re can do it by yourself.”

 

Sid frowned for a moment, but then seemed to think it over, and nodded. “Yeah, I… we can try, I guess.”

 

Zhenya offered him a smile. “Was- good, today. You did good.”

 

Sid snorted, but returned the smile. “Thanks, G. It… it felt good.”

 

Zhenya decided it was best to leave it on that note, rather than make a fool of himself by saying something lovelorn about how nice it was to see Sid smile, or how much he felt the happiest he’d been since coming to America when he was sitting there reveling in their shared magical connection, so he offered Sid a fist bump, and made his way out the door.

 

 

Their normal routine evolved after that. They’d spend a little bit of time just sitting there, holding hands like they usually would- and then, after it seemed like the bond had solidified itself a bit, Zhenya would coach Sid through simple spells; summoning things from across the room, moving them from one place to another, pulling warmth, wind, little natural elements from where he could. It didn’t take long for Sid to catch on, which wasn’t surprising; he was a quick learner on the ice and off, _especially_ when he was determined- and, he seemed _very_ determined to master whatever magic he could.

 

Their connection seemed to be changing, too. After every one of their lessons, when it used to fade not long after they’d parted, it lingered- for longer, and longer, and longer, each and every time. Zhenya could feel Sid’s magic the same way he used to be able to feel his family’s- but, _not_ the same way, because he’d never felt so _warm_ feeling his mother’s magic, or his brother’s, or anyone else’s in his life.

 

 

They’d been at it for a few weeks, and the bond was still tingling as Zhenya flopped onto his hotel bed in San Jose. They were playing a string of away games in California, so he and Sid hadn’t been practicing in a few days, and _barely_ even touching unless it was on the ice, or brief brushes navigating the plane or the locker room. Zhenya could still feel him though, his magic- _their_ magic thrumming.

 

It made Zhenya happier than he’d like to admit.

 

He didn’t feel so alone, when he could feel Sid with him; it felt like he was home, instead of floating in a sea of unfamiliar faces and magic. And- whatever accompanying butterflies came with the bond and seeing Sid smiling at him whenever Zhenya caught his eye like he was looking at something brilliant- that certainly didn’t hurt. Zhenya didn’t often think about having crushes on guys, but, if he _was_ going to… Sidney Crosby was a more than worthy candidate.

 

“I’m heading out.”

 

Zhenya grunted at Tablo when he spoke up, still staring up and mostly lost in his own thoughts. “I’m stay, take nap.”

 

“Sure thing, man,” Tablo said. Zhenya didn’t look up to see him leave the room, but his head _definitely_ shot up when he heard the door open, and a surprised sounding Talbo said: “oh, hey Sid.”

 

“Is Geno in?” Sid sounded a little on edge, and Zhenya immediately bounded to his feet.

 

“Am,” he said, standing behind Talbo in the doorway.

 

“Awesome.” Sid’s smile undercut the tension in his voice. “I just- I wanted to talk to you for a little bit, about something.”

 

“ _Oh_.” There was an edge of slyness in Talbo’s voice now, for _no_ reason that Zhenya could pick out. “For sure. I’ll just- head out, then. You two have fun.”

 

“Sure, yeah.” Sid either didn’t pick up on the tone like Zhenya did, or didn’t care, so he just let Talbo saddle past and pushed his way into the room, shutting the door behind him.

 

Once they were alone, Zhenya asked, “Are you okay?” It was a moot point, because Sid obviously _wasn’t_ , or he probably would’ve have come to him.

 

“I just moved my bag,” Sid blurted after a second.

 

Zhenya frowned. “Okay?”

 

“With magic,” Sid clarified, and Zhenya’s face _lit up_. “On my own. I’ve never- I always tried to keep practicing on my own, when I was at home, but- I could never do it without you before. But, I just moved my bag, and I was able to warm myself up while we were waiting outside for the bus the other day, and I summoned my book the other night, and-”

 

“Is _great_ , Sid,” Zhenya said. “Means you’re- you’re have your own magic, now, yes?”

 

“I _guess_.” Sid sounded a lot less happy than Zhenya had thought he would. “I just- I don’t know _why_ ; I didn’t even have a _little_ magic, before, and now it’s like… you’re here, and you just… _gave_ it to me, somehow, and it’s like I’ve had it my whole life. I barely even had to focus to move the bag, I just did it.”

 

“Is… maybe a little weird, yes,” Zhenya said. “But, not bad weird. Is good, you’re have magic, can use- you’re always want.”

 

“I did.” Sid’s voice dropped here, quiet and low, and he sighed. “I just… I don’t know, Geno. It’s- no offense, but I don’t… I don’t understand why I was waiting for _you_ to get it.”

 

“I’m not know either,” Zhenya said. “But- I’m happy, happy that I can… I’m not think I _give_ you magic, but, that I’m can maybe help you use? Magic’s not work like that, can’t just give to you like gift. Has to be in you, part of blood. You’re _have_ magic, I’m just help you figure out how to get to it.”

 

“But why _you_?” Sid sounded frustrated again, dragging a hand through his hair and moving past Zhenya to pace the room. “I’d never felt my own magic in my _life_ before you came to dinner that night, and that was- that was _terrifying_ , Geno, honestly. I thought I’d just… imagined it, or it was just- one of those things that comes with-” He cut himself off suddenly, and shook his head. “Whatever. I just… I wanna know why it’s happening _now_.”

 

“I’m not know,” Zhenya sitting down on the edge of his bed. “Really, Sid- I’m never… I’m never have to _think_ about magic before. My family’s always have, for as long as time. Comes natural. I’m never hear about give someone magic, or someone who’s have to have help opening. Either- you’re have, or you’re not have.”

 

“I tried looking it up.” Sid stopped in his tracks. He was facing away from Zhenya, so it was easy to see the tension in his shoulders, the way his whole body was tensed. “And all… all that came back were fairy tales, y’know? Kid’s stories, about… princesses or whatever. Nothing real.”

 

The words hit Zhenya like a brick, right in the middle of his chest, but he managed to speak up anyway. “Fairy tales never just stories,” he said. “Always- have little bit of truth. What they say?”

 

“Magic is- it’s a spark,” Sid said. “A spark of… good stuff. Love, usually, in everyone, everything. Love’s what lets us use it- loving your family, your village- whatever.”

 

“Love,” Zhenya echoed, and, _oh_ , that was- something. “Sid, you’re saying-”

 

“True love’s kiss is- bullshit,” Sid said. “And love at first sight is… I don’t know. I don’t usually believe this stuff, but, I know that I- _like_ you, and I know that… that I liked you when I first saw you.”

 

“I’m like you, too,” Zhenya said- because, well. He had. He’d liked Sidney Crosby before he’d known him, even, watching tape he’d asked his agent for and falling in love with the way he moved on the ice far before he’d ever seen his face or knew anything more about him. “You’re think- is… is us liking each other, makes spark?”

 

“I don’t _know_ ,” Sid said. He was turning back to Zhenya now, so he could clearly see how _lost_ Sid looked. “But, I- maybe?”

 

“Come here.” Zhenya stood and met Sid halfway. “You’re say- think true love’s kiss is bullshit, but- we’re try, yes?”

 

“ _Geno_ ,” Sid said, and Zhenya couldn’t tell if he was exasperated or encouraging, but he kissed him anyway.

 

The first kiss- it was awkward and short, and there wasn’t much there- but, when they both parted, flushing, and Sid leaned in to try again, that was when the warmth turned into a _burn_ , their magic sparking off into something Zhenya couldn’t even describe if he tried.

 

When they pulled away that time, Sid looked starry eyed, gaze going from Zhenya down to his own hands, and back. “That- huh.” He brought his hand up to his lips for a second before he grinned, gaze squarely back on Zhenya. “Guess it maybe isn’t so bullshit.”

 

“Yes?” Zhenya asked, a bit breathless.

 

“Yeah,” Sid said, the word coming on the edge of a laugh. “I- I think so, yeah.”

 

“We’re have time before Talbo come back,” Zhenya said, nodding toward his bed. “If you’re- maybe want to try again? Just to make sure.”

 

“Yeah,” Sid said again. “Yeah, I think I really want to.”

 

 

Talbo either decided he was going to swap rooms for the night, or was being _very_ irresponsible with his partying before a game, because he _definitely_ didn’t slip back in before the night was up- but, Zhenya also really couldn’t bring himself to care, with Sid tucked into his side. The room was dark and the curtain was drawn, but there was still a sliver of light coming from a crack between the curtains.

 

There was a full moon outside; even through the city lights, Zhenya could make it out, and if he couldn’t, he’d still be able to feel it. The moon was high in the sky, calling him home, beckoning him back to his family and the warm pull of their magic.

 

Back in a hotel room in San Jose, though, Sid mumbled something unintelligible in his sleep, and shifted, turning more into Zhenya’s side. Their bond had faded to the background, but Zhenya could still feel Sid’s magic pulling at his, weaving itself in. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Sid’s head, just because he could, but he didn’t stir much other than to just press himself even closer to Zhenya.

 

The moon was full, and Zhenya wasn’t alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully, this tickles your fancy a little for "magic is just a Thing in the NHL" - it was a hoot to write!


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